500,000 Bees Killed in Dutch Arson Attack.
A Dutch beekeeper has expressed dismay after his 10 beehives were burned down in a public garden in the city of Almere, causing the loss of an estimated half a million bees.
The beekeeper stated that each hive contained a population of forty to sixty thousand bees, and the thought that anyone could kill them was devastating.
"It is deeply painful that my 10 hives have died," he told local broadcaster.
Law enforcement in Almere, which sits to the northeast of Amsterdam, have requested witnesses after the arson attack on Tuesday night in the city's scenic Beatrixpark. They shared pictures of the blaze on online platforms.
The Netherlands authorities says that over 50% of the country's 360 types of bee are at threat of extinction, as the population of bees declines globally.
Mr Stringer explained that authorities had told him an flammable substance had been used to ignite the colonies, which were placed on wooden platforms in a wooded part of the garden.
Barely any of the insects survived and he said that he had little faith the perpetrator would be caught.
Fellow beekeeper a local beekeeper stated on national radio that she had three hives and wanted to donate one of them.
For Mr Stringer, who looked after the bees for about almost a decade, the fire means building a fresh hive in the park from scratch.
But he insists he will not give up.
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